𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟎
The break from school and the crown prince’s proxy duties coincided for the first time in a while,
So I was spending the morning leisurely after waking up.
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I had planned to go out with Kyle before noon,
So Lisa and Yuna are preparing for that.
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Next week, the third prince of Kokodia is coming to the academy.
He will likely try to force me into an engagement.
If it’s a proposal directly from the third prince,
I can’t immediately refuse without a legitimate reason.
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So before meeting the third prince at the academy,
I was considering making Chris and Kyle my consort candidates.
Even if I can’t announce it formally,
If the king gives permission, their status will be that of quasi-royalty.
It may be disrespectful to stop the third prince as a mere escort knight,
But if they stop him as my consort candidate, it won’t be disrespectful.
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I was thinking that far when I talked to Chris.
Of course, it’s not that I decided only on that.
It’s the result of thinking ever since my grandfather told me to decide on a consort.
I can’t trust anyone more than Chris and Kyle.
I need at least three consorts, so I need to find one more person,
But the third prince, who believes that I will become the queen,
Will probably give up if he knows that I have other consorts.
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“The preparations seem to be ready. Shall we go?”
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“Yes.”
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It was just before noon, and Kyle came to pick me up.
I feel his expression is a bit stiff, maybe he senses something about what I’m saying.
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It’s very rare for me to go out other than to the academy.
I ride the horse that Kyle prepared, cradled to sit sideways.
I’m not afraid since Kyle supports me from behind, but it’s been a long time since I’ve ridden a horse.
I wondered where we were going, but we headed into the royal forest behind the palace.
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“Going to the forest?”
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“Yes. You said you wanted to try a picnic before, right?
I’ve prepared lunch, so let’s go to the lakeside.”
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“A picnic!”
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Before, when I heard the story of Ruri going on a picnic with her cousins,
I thought it would be fun to eat outside like that.
It seems Kyle remembered my muttering that I wanted to go.
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The royal forest is home to rare herbs,
So unauthorized people cannot enter.
The forest is surrounded, without any gaps to sneak in,
There aren’t any beasts here that could pose a danger to me.
So the shadow Yuna and Dana are guarding me from a distance.
Perhaps because I used a barrier when talking to Chris yesterday,
They might be staying away out of concern.
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Slowly leading the horse, we leisurely progress through the forest.
The horse’s back sways, but the direct wind feels good as we move.
The completely different scenery compared to traveling by carriage is fresh,
And I looked around the forest.
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“We’ll arrive soon.”
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As he said, when we emerged from the forest, a lake spread out before us.
The sun is overhead, reflecting and making the water’s surface brightly shine.
Many wildflowers were blooming by the lake’s edge.
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“Wow. Amazing!”
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“It seems better than I thought.”
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I thought it was an empty place, but I could see a pavilion a little further back.
The wooden pavilion looked old, but the surrounding grass was neatly cut,
It seemed like someone was maintaining and using it.
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“Probably those who come to gather herbs use it.
It looks just right for a meal.”
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Kyle prepared the meal on the table in the pavilion.
Small bread with thickly cut ham, eggs, and chopped vegetables were sandwiched.
The large sausage was cut into bite-sized pieces for easy eating.
He poured tea and potato potage from two pots.
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I had a hearty breakfast, but the meal outside was so delicious,
The prepared items were quickly disappearing.
I was thrilled to realize how much fun it is to eat while feeling the wind.
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Suddenly, I noticed that Kyle had hardly eaten anything.
He was staring intently as I ate, just sipping a little soup.
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“Kyle? What’s wrong?
Could it be that you’re not feeling well? Do you have a stomach ache?”
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